Laura W. Murphy to Step Down as Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that Laura W. Murphy will step down as director of its Washington Legislative Office effective January 31, 2015.

After serving 17 years as the director of the Washington Legislative Office, Murphy plans to reestablish her private consulting business, Laura Murphy & Associates. She will also return to school to as a student at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero had this reaction:

As the ACLU’s top lobbyist, Laura has led Herculean efforts to enact, block, or repeal legislation that would positively or adversely impact the lives of millions of Americans. In particular, Laura’s tremendous work on the First Amendment, national security, racial justice, and criminal justice reform has earned her a reputation as one of the most tenacious and effective advocates for civil liberties in the nation. Her ability to work across the political aisle and with all branches of government, her sharp political acumen, and her exceptional skill at forming and maintaining strong relationships with policy makers and advocacy leaders have helped make the ACLU a uniquely effective force in Washington. She will surely go down in history as a true champion of the rights of all people.

Laura is the first woman, the first African-American, and the longest serving Washington Legislative Office director in the ACLU’s history. She has spent more than 20 years in total at the ACLU.